Welcome, folks, to the biggest New Release Tuesday of 2007, where big-name artists in several genres enter a steel cage match for chart supremacy. Well, no, it’s not that serious, but there is a lot of music coming out today. Here’s what you should (or should not, depending) be looking for.
It’s a good day to be a diva. Alicia Keys unleashes her third studio album, As I Am today. Preceded by the Top 5 hit “No One” and containing collaborations with John Mayer and 4 Non Blonde Linda Perry, this album has more of a pronounced singer/songwriter feel to it than her previous albums. Also in diva-dom, Celine Dion returns from a longer-than-normal absence with her new album, Taking Chances. Once the biggest-selling artist in the world, this album represents a comeback try after laying dormant (or just performing in Vegas) for the past four years. Now for a diva that likely influenced both the aforementioned artists: Aretha Franklin. Big Ree is releasing a highly publicized duets album called Jewels In The Crown. This set contains previously released hits like the #1 “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” with George Michael, and also contains new songs with the likes of Fantasia, Mary J. Blige and John Legend.
Speaking of returning veterans, it’s hard to believe, but Duran Duran is closing in on their 30th Anniversary. Red Carpet Massacre is the name of their new album, and it contains boldface collaborations with the likes of Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. While we’re on the topic of funky Brits, you might wanna check out System, the fifth album from Seal. While his last couple of albums found him perfecting the ethereal ballad thing, this album teams him with producer Stuart Price and returns him directly to the dance floor. On the country side, Trisha Yearwood follows her hubby by a week, releasing a new album entitled Heaven, Heartache & The Power of Love.
Greatest hits albums more your thing? Check out the two-CD best of Led Zeppelin called Mothership. David Gray’s Greatest Hits also arrives today, featuring all the hits from his ATO/RCA tenure, including “Babylon”, “Please Forgive Me” and “The One I Love”. There’s also a compilation summing up the past decade or so in the land of The Goo Goo Dolls. This album contains the massive hits “Iris”, “Name” and “Slide”. Stretching the definition of “hits compilations”, there’s also a live CD/DVD set from James Taylor called One Man Band, and the 26th edition of the venerable Now That’s What I Call Music! series.
Finally, if you have a jones to relive the Nineties, two albums might interest you. First off, there’s the return of Boyz II Men with an album of Motown covers. Might this be enough to restore interest in the biggest-selling R&B group of all time? Well, it debuted in the Top 10 overseas, so this just might do the trick. If not, you can always pick up the new album by Shaggy, called Intoxication. As with every R&B, reggae or hip-hop album released in 2007, it contains an obligatory Akon cameo.
